Letter: Domestic violence is a real issue requiring coverage

Sept. 12, 2018

On Sept. 5, the Northwest Herald published a letter from a resident who requested the paper focus on positive news, rather than publishing “so many” stories about domestic violence. The writer cited the fact that in the course of two days, the paper had published five articles about domestic abuse.

According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 24 people per minute are victims of domestic violence. That means that in two days, there are 69,120 victims of domestic violence. Comparatively speaking, five articles is a drop in the bucket.

In a perfect world, there would be an article for each of these victims. Unfortunately, perpetrators of domestic violence often are not arrested. Domestic violence comes with a stigma that makes it difficult for victims to speak up. Victims are asked, “If things were that bad, why didn’t you leave?” Oftentimes, when victims do share their stories, they are discounted because an abuser’s public mask is in direct contrast with what goes on at home. Reading articles in the paper about domestic violence is unpleasant. However, domestic violence is a real issue in our society. Not only should these stories be printed, there should be more of them. Perhaps, if the issue of domestic violence were brought further into the light, we could reach a point where homes everywhere would be safe for everyone. If you are experiencing abuse, Turning Point, McHenry County’s domestic violence agency, operates a hotline (815-338-8081) that is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Kellie Kleitsch

Lake in the Hills

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